The Warrior and the Guardian: SpinOffs
by Alatum Laminis
Summary: Here, I will experiment with my story's ideas.
1. Intermission: Introduction

**Everyone, I am very well aware of how much you liked **_**The Warrior and the Guardian, **_**and some of you have been asking for a sequel, and others…well, I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't mind a sequel. I hate to disappoint you. This story is NOT a sequel. This is a series of spin-off chapters that take off from **_**The Warrior and the Guardian.**_

**Allow me to explain. As you recall, I mentioned that I would attempt to write a story for an anime called **_**Wolf's Rain. **_**This, unfortunately, did not go well, so I cancelled the project. Since I have nothing better to do with my hobby as a writer, I thought up this little experiment.**

**I will write small stories that involve the characters and plot of **_**The Warrior and the Guardian**_**. For example, things like life in Regalia after the events of the main story. Family affairs, secret plots, duels, that kind of stuff. You can expect the births of the children here.**

**However, I will bequeath some power over the content of each of the next chapters to you. If there is anything that you want to know about the main characters, send reviews and ask questions about their lives. Then, I will have each character answer them for you. It's kind of like one of those "Truth or Dare" fanfics, but without the dares, and all of the speaking will be done by the character. If any of you have read the **_**Warriors**_** series, the book **_**Secrets of the Clans **_**uses the same format that I plan to use.**

**So, the next chapter will be of my choosing, but your opinions matter. Do you want a story, or do you want some questions answered about the characters? I'll leave it up to you to decide, my readers. **


	2. Meeting Arc: Raphael

**Shadowsz458 was the only one who reviewed with his preference, so I thank him and will go along with it. I have chosen a story, and one that some of you may have been curious about.**

**I'm not telling you what it is. Just read the content and chapter title. It'll be pretty obvious. **

**Also, this short story will take up a few chapters. The next update after the story will be a character answering some questions. So, in your next reviews, choose a character, and ask questions about him or her. The one with the most votes wins. Simple, no? **

**Anyway, there is a disclaimer, and it will be the same for all chapters. **

**I DO NOT OWN THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES!**

"_You are done, Warrior!" the Bane taunted. _

_Gregor and Ares were exhausted. "We've go to get in closer so I can take him out!" Gregor said. Ares nodded and followed his bond's orders. It was a mistake. Ares flew in too close. The Bane grabbed him and sank his fangs into the giant bat's neck. "Ares!" Gregor cried. He knew his bond was rapidly fading away. He jammed his sword into the Bane's neck and turned it. The Bane roared in agony, dropping Ares. _

_As Gregor and Ares fell, the Bane got in one last strike with his claws. Gregor screamed as the claws tore through his armor. Ares crashed to the ground, and Gregor bounced a few feet away. However, the Bane still wasn't dead. Gregor feebly lifted his sword. "If you want to kill me, then try it. Come on!" he challenged through blood-flecked lips._

_There was no need. The Bane took one earth-shaking stride before the gash in his neck completely opened up. The giant white rat gurgled before toppling onto his side._

_Gregor got up and limped over to Ares. "Don't go, Ares, okay? Don't go…" It was too late. The strongest bat in Regalia was now dead. Dejected and filled with hopelessness, Gregor fell, leaning on his bond. _

"_Gregor!" he heard a voice scream. It was Luxa. What was she doing here? It didn't matter. She was here, and alive. That was what mattered. "Why? Why would you…?" she asked, beginning to cry and taking his head into her lap. _

"_Luxa…you're alive. I'm so glad…" he whispered. _

"_You idiot Overlander! It was never your fight!" she shouted. _

"_The instant I realized how I truly felt about you, it was my crusade. You need to know now, because I'm probably going to die soon. I love you, Luxa. That's why I trapped you. I wanted to protect you…" Gregor whispered. _

_Luxa's tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Idiot…I…" she stammered, but then was cut off by Aurora's screech. Her head whipped around. "Aurora…" Then her eyes and Gregor's widened as a paw tore right through her chest. Luxa gasped, blood flooding out of her mouth. _

"_LUXA!" Gregor cried as she fell over him, still gasping. _

"_How pathetic…" Gregor looked over Luxa's body to see a tough-looking rat, probably one of the Bane's generals. "The Warrior is fearless in battle, yet when his love the Queen dies, he becomes nothing more than a weakling." _

_And that's when Gregor realized. Sandwich was right. He was going to die, but it would not be by the Bane's attack, but by one of his generals. The general who had just killed Luxa. Gregor gritted his teeth at the thought, his now-fading mind filling with pure, cold rage. _

"_DAMN IT!" he screamed with all his ferocity and pain as the rat lunged…_

"Luxa!" Gregor shouted as he shot up out of bed. He quickly regained his bearings. "Just a dream, huh? Damn…" Gregor put a hand on his forehead. A year after the Underland, and he still had nightmares. He lay back on his bed, thinking about the events that had happened after he returned.

He was still in New York City. He and both his sisters fought vigorously against their mother's wishes to leave to Virginia. Finally, after the death of their grandmother and their father's stand against her, Gregor's mother finally relented, but they were forbidden from ever going to the Underland again, or even talk about it. Gregor suspected that she was trying to forget the events that had plunged her family into turmoil.

If that was true, it wasn't working. Both he and Lizzie had recurring nightmares, and Boots was still talking to cockroaches. School served merely as a distraction, but the fact that he had to wear long clothes now, even in the summer, made his friends, Larry and Angelina, rightfully suspicious. His new mature, solemn behavior only added to that suspicion. Although he trusted them well enough, he couldn't tell them the real reason why he was behaving strangely. He was trying to hide his scars.

Gregor yawned. He might as well try to get some more sleep. After all, the new bed he now owned after moving into a new house was quite confortable, and needed to slept on. Gregor still couldn't believe that his family owned a house after several years spent in near-poverty, but after life insurance money and his parents working stable jobs, things quickly got better in a way.

What he didn't know was that things were going to get interesting tomorrow, on his first day of eighth grade.

_The next day…_

"Yo, Gregor!" Larry called. Gregor put on a friendly smile as he walked towards his friends. He may have changed, but so had they. Larry was now as physically fit as an asthmatic person could be, and Angelina had begun to develop…assets. Gregor had seen quite a few guys ogling her recently.

"Ready for the first day?" Angelina asked.

"I'm always ready," Gregor said.

"You know, I'm surprised that they even let you pass! You missed like two months of school in the beginning of last year!" Larry exclaimed.

Gregor shrugged. "Well, I did the make-up work pretty quickly, so I caught on," he said. _Only because the Underland has sharpened my mind so much,_ he silently added.

Then he noticed something. Or rather, someone. A raven-haired boy, about their age, was standing at the entrance of the building. He was not overly handsome, but he wasn't ugly either. His arms were slightly muscular, but he had a rather slim body frame. However, his most distinguishing feature was the confident but seemingly mocking smile on his face. He looked somewhat familiar, but Gregor was sure that they had never formally met. He seemed new, but there were already people crowding around him, whispering. It seemed to be a little beyond his caring, though.

"Hey, who's the new kid?" Gregor asked.

Angelina smiled. "That's Raphael. He transferred here from another school. He's so dreamy…" she sighed.

"Dreamy?" Gregor asked.

"He's not that handsome, but look at that smile. It's so…confident, like he doesn't have a care in the world," Angelina said.

"You're acting like he's perfect," Larry said.

"Check it out. Looks like Brianna's trying to go out with him," Gregor laughed. Brianna was the most popular girl in their school, and also quite beautiful but she was a total bitch to everyone because of it. She didn't seem to see this, though. Besides, no one wanted to say it to her face. Two tall guys always accompanied her. To her, they were servants, bodyguards, etc. They were utterly devoted to her, but she never seemed to care.

"Heeeey, I'm Brianna…what's your name, handsome?" Brianna asked, waving her hips at Raphael.

Raphael's smile faded in an instant, replaced by an annoyed glare. "I suggest you stop immediately, for I have no interest in going out with a whore like you," he growled.

Brianna flinched. "_What_?" she hissed.

"Get out of my sight. You disgust me," Raphael said.

"You know, people like you should be glad to go out with someone like me!" Brianna shouted.

"I'm not like those people. They seem like total idiots to me if they want to go out with a bitch like you," Raphael said. A crowd had already gathered, and the "oohs" were quite audible.

"I'm out of here," Raphael said, walking away from Brianna and towards Gregor's group. Brianna snapped her fingers, and the two big guys blocked Raphael's path. Next to Raphael's height, though, they didn't seem that much bigger. Raphael didn't seem fazed after all; he only shot an annoyed glance back at Brianna.

"You're not getting away; I go out with whoever I want!" she declared as a response.

"Not this time. Tell your goons to back off," Raphael said.

"Or else what?" Brianna said.

Raphael grabbed the arm of one of the guys and, with all the casualness that he would have if he were walking down the street, threw the guy over his shoulder. Then, with the look of something akin to cruelty, stomped on the fallen guy's stomach twice.

"Or else that," he said with a smirk. He then eyed the other goon, who was now quivering with shock and fear. Slowly, he strode closer. The other goon backed up until he was almost right in front of Gregor's group. That was when the goon regained his nerve and drew his arm back for a solid punch.

He never got the chance. Gregor had reacted quickly, grabbing the guy's muscled arm with a slight grimace of disgust. The former Warrior of the Underland socked the guy in the face when he turned around. Everyone gasped in shock as the smaller Gregor sent the giant staggering back with just one punch.

The guy regained his footing. He growled viciously. His new focus was Gregor. He was preparing to charge when he suddenly lurched forward, crying out in seemingly intense pain before falling to the ground. Raphael had rammed his right knee into the guy's back.

Gregor and Raphael looked down at their fallen opponent before facing each other. "I didn't really need your help, you know," Raphael said.

Gregor shrugged. "It wasn't intentional. Brianna's such a bitch to everyone, I'm surprised I didn't do this sooner," he said.

Raphael grunted. "All the same, thanks, I guess. Maybe I'll see you around," he said, waling into the school building.

"It's not a maybe. We're going to meet again soon, I know it," Gregor muttered, before leading his friends past the shell-shocked group. No one was more surprised than Brianna, who was now fully humiliated.

**As you can see, this is a short story about how Gregor and Raphael first met. In the next few chapters, you'll see how the two went from chilly acquaintances to the greatest of friends. **

**Please review! **


	3. Meeting Arc: Swords and Shields

**The next part of Gregor and Raphael's story is here. Enjoy it, for it will only last a few more chapters. However, I will make it as enjoyable as possible. Judging from the progress so far, though, I'm hoping this entire story will get at least a thousand views.**

It had only been a few hours since school started, and Raphael had already made a name for himself. People quickly realized that he was arrogant and a bit of a jerk, but he could also be kind to others. He was a very whimsical young boy, polite and mature like a true adult when speaking with the principal and teachers, but also cheerful, almost like a young child around those he considered his "friendly acquaintances", as he so called it.

Among those "friendly acquaintances" was Gregor's group. Gregor was right when he believed that they would meet again soon. It was only lunchtime that day when they met up with Raphael again. In fact, this time it was Raphael that helped Gregor out, not the other way around like that morning.

Gregor, Larry, and Angelina's school had out-to-lunch privileges, so they were heading to one of their favorite restaurants when Larry saw something. "Oh, no…" he muttered. Gregor and Angelina looked and groaned. Standing at the gates was Xavier, Brianna's beau, along with a bunch of his friends. In other words, he was her admirer. Of course, like she did with all people, Brianna treated him like dirt. Still, he foolishly pursued her. One had to admire his persistence…but not his idiocy.

When he caught sight of Gregor, Xavier got an angry face. "Well, you finally showed up. You and that punk Raphael are going to pay for what you did today," he growled.

Larry and Angelina began to cautiously back up, but Gregor stood his ground. "Why don't you get the hell out of our way? You're blocking the gate," he growled.

Xavier's friends instantly put on their fighting faces and positions. A few blocked off Larry and Angelina. Xavier grinned. "You're outnumbered and surrounded, you wimp. You want us to move? Well, what if we don't want to move?" he asked.

Gregor frowned even more deeply. "You remember what I did to Brianna's thug? You want me to do the same thing to you?" he asked.

Xavier's cocky grin dropped, and his expression went from confident to furious. "I dare you to try!" he shouted, drawing back his arm. He aimed a fast straight punch at Gregor's face—but Gregor moved even faster, sidestepping the blow and sweeping his leg under Xavier's feet, tripping him. The speed and impact of the move was enough to stun the idiot for a bit.

Xavier quickly got to his feet. "Grab his friends!" he commanded. His friends moved to do so, but before they could even lay a hand on Angelina or Larry, one of them fell forward, crying out in pain and shock. Before anyone else could figure out what happened, another suddenly flinched and his eyes widened, before he fell onto his side. That's when they saw who was causing it.

Raphael looked down at his recently fallen opponents, and then glared at Xavier and the rest of his thugs. "Get out of the gate, or do you want to end up like the two fools on the ground?" he hissed.

Xavier called his friends to him. Although two of Xavier's group had been dispatched, Gregor's group was still badly outnumbered. Still, that didn't stop Gregor from telling Larry and Angelina to leave the area. The two were glad to do so, and besides, they were dead weights in a fistfight anyway.

Xavier's group charged. Despite their large number of ten fighters, Gregor and Raphael still fought them easily. Raphael mainly used his arms and fists, backhanding his attackers, punching them, even jamming his elbow into their backs when he had the opportunity. He used his knees to ram into his opponents, too, like when he fought against Brianna's thugs. Gregor used his legs, mainly delivering powerful spin kicks, high kicks to the face or neck, or roundhouse kicks. Still, like Raphael, he used his arms; only his attacks were more karate chops and open-palm thrusts, with the occasional punch.

Still, Xavier's group did get some hits in. When the fight ended, a crowd had gathered, and both boys had ended up with bruises on their faces. The principal, Mr. Robous, quickly pushed his way into the front of the crowd. "Break it up, everyone, there is nothing to see here. Go to your lunch," he commanded, and the crowd quickly dispersed. Mr. Robous was an all right principal, but now he had a furious expression on his face, and no one wanted to test his anger or patience.

"Both of you, come to my office immediately!" the principal boomed, walking off. Gregor and Raphael followed him willingly.

When they got to the principal's office, Mr. Robous walked in, telling them to wait while he got things ready. Gregor and Raphael looked at each other, and then smiled in a friendly manner. "Well, we meet again, Gregor Dante Asinus. Quite an interesting last name, I must add." Raphael said.

Gregor was surprised for an instant before regaining his composure. "Wow, you know my full name," he said.

Raphael shrugged. "There were rumors circulating around the school about you. You're the guy who wasn't in school last year for almost two months. Your family mysteriously disappeared for a while, too. Then, suddenly you came back, quickly caught up with the rest of the class, and also had serious personality changes. Some say you were kidnapped, others say you had a life-threatening disease, and others still said that your family was part of a top-secret organization of some kind. I won't pry, though. All that you should care about is that you're here today. Frankly, even I'm surprised you passed seventh grade," he said.

Gregor laughed a little. There was some truth in all the theories Raphael had mentioned. "I prefer it if you didn't, anyway. Besides, I'm not the only one who's the talk of the school. They call you the confident, whimsical transfer student, Raphael Fenrir Strixus. Seems like I'm not the only one with an interesting last name. They say that you're actually some kind of secret agent who's been bred all his life to fight, but didn't do so well in the social interactions class," he said.

Raphael laughed as well. "Well, I was trained in self-defense. The weird thing is that my parents taught me and my siblings," he said.

"You have siblings? I've got two younger sisters," Gregor asked.

"I've got a brother and a sister, both adopted, and almost the same age as me, but younger by a few months. They're studying abroad with our aunt and uncle. I just hope they're not getting soft," Raphael said.

"What's it like having adopted siblings?" Gregor asked.

"I've been with them for as long as I can remember. We started out fighting, but something happened a couple of years ago that made us very close," Raphael said.

"I don't want to know. If I get to keep secrets, then so should you," Gregor said. Raphael grunted in response.

Mr. Robous finally reappeared. "Come in," he said, somehow able to keep his voice neutral despite the fact that he still looked as angry as before. The boys followed him into his office. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to two chairs in front of his desk. Gregor and Raphael sat down while Mr. Robous did the same. "Mr. Asinus and Mr. Strixus. Do you know why the two of are here?"

"Only a fool would say it wasn't because we got into a fight," Raphael said. Mr. Robous seemed a little confused by the word manipulation, so Raphael elaborated. "I meant that we're here because we got into a fight."

"Yes, now what does the discipline code say about fighting in school?" Mr. Robous asked.

"I don't know the exact details, but I believe it goes along the lines of "fighting in school is punishable by several tens or so of acts of retribution," Raphael said.

"Stop trying to act cool by using big words," Gregor said.

"Hey, I didn't want to repeat the word "punish" twice; it would sound awkward," Raphael replied.

"The two of you are both high-scoring students! As such, you must set an example! What would other students say if they saw you two fighting?" Mr. Robous asked.

"Mr. Robous, with all due respect, both of us know how to set an example. We both have younger siblings. Besides, they were blocking the gate, and I didn't see the security guards doing anything!" Gregor exclaimed.

"Yes, well, I cannot argue with that. I'll have to talk with them. Nevertheless, it is not either one of your responsibilities to take matters like this into your hands! It is our job as faculty to protect the students. Fighting is not allowed. Do the two of you know what you did?" Mr. Robous asked.

"I think we gave Xavier's gang a big beating?" Gregor asked.

"Any fool watching could tell that you two were completely capable of killing them!" Mr. Robous exclaimed. That was definitely news to Gregor. He had only felt a miniscule rush of his rager sensation. He knew that it was powerful, but was it really that powerful? "I like the two of you, but you must be punished. Today, you must stay behind and clean all the chalkboards in the school."

"What?" Raphael exclaimed. The school was a bit small, but there were still dozens of classrooms.

"Consider yourself lucky! Your punishment could be much more severe!" Mr. Robous said.

"Yes, sir…" Gregor and Raphael said simultaneously.

_Later…_

Raphael had finished his share of boards before Gregor had, especially considering that he was tall enough on his own to reach the tops of the boards, whereas Gregor had to get a stool. Therefore, Gregor went home alone. His parents had already been notified, and while they were none too happy about it, they had already picked up Lizzie and Boots.

When Gregor got home, he almost immediately ran into his mother. "Gregor! You're almost late! Hurry up and change! We have to meet our new neighbors!" she said.

"New neighbors?" Gregor asked.

His dad poked his head out from behind the door. "They just moved in next door yesterday, and we offered to go over to help them get settled in. They were grateful enough to invite us to dinner at their house!" he explained.

"Cool. I'll go get changed," Gregor said, walking into his room. He quickly switched out of his school uniform shirt and into a gray T-shirt and black sweater, but kept his jeans. When he walked out, his family was waiting for him, and they left. As their new neighbors only lived next door, it was a short walk. The house was a remodeled firehouse. Their last neighbors had moved away, and the new neighbors brought the house soon after. It was smaller than his house, but Gregor had seen the inside before. There always seemed to be some extra space.

Gregor's dad rang the doorbell, and a smiling woman answered the door. "Good evening, Joanna," Gregor's mom greeted.

Ah! The Asinus family! I was just getting ready to make dinner!" the woman exclaimed. Then she looked into the house. "Ronan, our guests have arrived!"

A tall man appeared at the door, his expression fierce as he stood next to his much shorter wife, but then his face broke into a smile when he saw the Asinus family. It was a smile that was very familiar to Gregor. "The Asinus family! How punctual of you to appear this early! I like that, Mark!" he boomed, shaking Gregor's dad's hand.

"We decided to socialize with you for a little bit. Besides, you haven't met our son, Gregor Dante Asinus. He was in detention for getting into a fight," Gregor's dad said.

Gregor looked down in shame, but both Ronan and Joanna smiled at him. "Ah, how could I have missed him? He's nearly as tall as our own son, and his name is quite a mouthful to say, too!" Ronan said. Then he seemed to realize something. "But where are my manners? Nice to meet you, lad. I am Ronan Strixus, and this beautiful woman is my wife, Joanna!" He shook Gregor's hand vigorously, and his wife did so, but with less energy.

That was when Gregor realized what was so familiar about Ronan's smile. It was the look; confidence and mockery was embedded in it. It was a near perfect copy of Raphael's smile. "Excuse me, but where is your son right now?" he asked.

"He's in the basement exercising, but…" Gregor pushed past the surprised Ronan and Joanna and ran inside. He ignored his mother's cries and quickly located the entrance to the basement. "Stop right there, lad!" Ronan's voice yelled. Gregor ignored this and opened the door. A flight of stairs led down to a lit room, and Gregor could hear swishing sounds, grunts, and some music that sounded like battle music from some anime.

Gregor ran down the flight of stairs. The lit room turned out to be one with a box with open windows in it. There were also assorted medieval weapons hanging on the walls; swords, axes, spears, etc. There, Gregor's suspicions were confirmed. Inside the box was Raphael, seemingly fighting ninjas with katanas. Raphael himself was using what looked like shields with blades at their ends.

"Gregor!" Ronan yelled, coming down the stairs, but he soon realized that it was too late. Gregor was watching Raphael with slightly wide eyes.

"Ronan, I'm sorry for his misbehavior. He's never acted like this…" Gregor's mom came down, and then she caught sight of the room, the weapons, the box, and who was inside. "What is your son doing?"

"Training…" Ronan muttered.

"But he could hurt himself! Those are real blades, right?" Gregor's mom yelled.

"He's been perfectly capable of handling them since he was eight," Joanna came down, no longer smiling. "It's how we taught him self-defense. Besides, the ninjas are holograms. They disappear after you cut them."

"You taught him to use blades? What kind of parents are you?" Gregor's mom asked incredulously.

While this exchange was going on, Gregor watched Raphael defeat the ninjas with relative ease. Although the ninjas used realistically fast speed and greatly outnumbered the boy, Raphael was overpowering them with sheer defense and offense, and his reactions and reflexes were amazing. Then he looked back at Ronan, who was now coolly shrugging off Grace's objections. "Mom, stop it. I think this is a good way to be raised. He's focused, he's disciplined; what more could he need?" he asked. His next speech was directed at Ronan. "Mr. Strixus, are those swords on the wall prepared for battling real fighters?"

"They are all sharpened, why?" Ronan asked.

Grace quickly understood. "Gregor, you can't possibly be thinking…no! I forbid it!" she declared.

That's was when she felt her husband's hand on her shoulder. He and Gregor's sisters had come down, somehow escaping Gregor's notice. "Honey, Gregor wants this. As his parents, we need to allow him some freedom," Mark said. Grace reluctantly backed down.

"Thanks, dad," Gregor said. Then he walked over to the wall and tested out the swords, finally choosing two longswords. They were average in appearance, but they suited Gregor's fighting style the best.

Ronan looked conflicted. "Are you sure that you can best my son? He is not a pushover, you know," he said.

Gregor smiled. "Raphael Fenrir Strixus. The name of your son. I met him school today. I'm pretty confident that I at least have a chance," he said.

Ronan sighed. "Very well. I will speak with him," he said, pressing a button in the wall of the box. The ninjas disappeared, and Raphael looked confused as his father walked in and explained the situation.

"Gregor, try not to kill him," Lizzie whispered. Only she was truly aware of Gregor's rager sensation and what he was capable of.

"I'll be careful, Lizzie," Gregor said, walking around the corner of the box just as Ronan and Raphael said.

"All right, where's this kid who thinks he can beat me in a blade fight?" Raphael asked, looking around. Then he caught sight of Lizzie and Boots, and then looked back at his father. "Dad, there's no way in hell I'm fighting little girls," he said.

"Raphael, we have guests," Joanna pointed out.

Raphael caught himself. "Oh, yes, where are my manners? It's nice to meet you. My name is Raphael Fenrir Strixus," he said, bowing slightly.

Boots giggled. "My big brother told us your full name already," she said.

Raphael smiled. "And who and where is your big brother?" he asked.

Gregor took that as his cue to reveal himself. "Hello. My name is Gregor Dante Asinus. I'm here to fight you. Prepare to get your butt kicked," he said, chuckling a little and holding out his swords.

Raphael glanced behind him and smiled, clapping slowly. "That was a nice entrance, my friend. You are good. I've seen what you can do in a fight. The question is, are you good enough to best me? Me, the strongest of Ronan Strixus's children?" he asked.

Gregor laughed. "Arrogance will be your undoing one day, Raphael," he said.

Raphael turned fully around and shrugged. "I get that enough times from Dad. I don't need that from you, too. Besides, look who's talking. You're the one who thought you could take on ten guys that were the same size as or bigger than you and survive," he said.

"I did survive," Gregor countered.

"With my help. Consider it my way of thanking you for helping me out this morning. Still, let's see what you are capable of alone," Raphael challenged.

"It's on now, man," Gregor responded.

"Then let's get it on. We're fighting in there," Raphael said, gesturing to the box. He and Gregor walked in and took fighting stances.

Joanna sighed. "While they're doing that, I'll make dinner," she said, walking upstairs. Grace joined her, but not before shooting a worried look at Gregor.

**I'll end it there. Some of you may have wanted to see a one-on-one fight between Gregor and Raphael. Still, you can imagine the results. **

**Please send your thoughts! As you know, comments leave me motivated!**


	4. Meeting Arc: Clash

**It's Gregor Dante Asinus vs. Raphael Fenrir Strixus. Who will win? The Warrior or the Guardian? The demon hunter or the wolf? **

**Ah, who am I kidding? We all know who's the stronger one. However, we also know that the loser will give the winner a good fight. That in mind, this should be entertaining, no? **

"How do we decide the winner?" Gregor asked.

"First blood, provided we don't kill the other," Raphael said.

"Agreed. Good luck, Strixus," Gregor said, bumping fists with his opponent.

"Acting like we hardly know each other, eh, Asinus? I like that. In the field of battle, there's hardly room for any emotions," Raphael called back as they walked to their respective sides.

"There's hardly room for emotions in battle…the same thing applies to talk. Not a lot of people talk while fighting," Gregor said, turning around after walking the classic ten paces.

"You're right. The time for talk is over!" Raphael said, finishing his ten paces as he did so. Without a moment's notice, he whipped around and rushed forward, seemingly leaving himself wide open.

Gregor took a swing with his left sword, which was what Raphael was hoping for. At the last second before the sword made contact, he parried it with a shield, pushing Gregor back. However, Gregor used the momentum against his attacker, staggering back for a moment before rushing forward with full force, his blades coming at Raphael from both sides. Raphael, despite being taken by surprise for a moment, raised his shields and blocked them both.

They exchanged a quick grin before Gregor withdrew his blades, and Raphael leapt back as Gregor lunged and swung with his right sword. Then, Gregor raced around to Raphael's right side as he parried with his left shield. Raphael's reactions were faster than he expected, though. He whipped his face to the side, so the stab that Gregor aimed to his cheek barely grazed it, and instead of a cut like expected, Gregor saw that his blade only left behind a small white mark, such as the one that might be left behind if one scratched oneself with his fingernails.

Raphael leapt back a fair distance away, his eyes wide as he felt the scratch. "That was way too close. Any deeper and you would have won," he breathed. Then he laughed. "I can't hold back anymore. You're too tough."

"You're right. If either of us holds back, we have an equal chance of winning. But if I don't hold back, I could kill you. You know that, right?" Gregor said.

"I get the feeling that you're not a normal opponent, so I can't say the same. Still, you can expect my full strength from here on out," Raphael said. Then he rushed forward again, this time with his shields crossed in front of him.

Gregor's blades came at him from the side, which was again what he was waiting for. Again, he avoided he attack, but this time, he ducked to do so, leaning back and balancing on his hands in order to kick Gregor in the stomach with both feet. Gregor was pushed back a few feet before he realized that Raphael was attacking with an thrust at his chest. Quickly, he crossed his swords in front of him and pushed forward, making Raphael recoil. This time, though, Raphael used the momentum to move back as Gregor rushed forward. Steel met steel in a clang as all four weapons were crossed intricately.

There was a quick match to see if either of them could push the other back before they withdrew their weapons. Then, steel met steel again as they clashed. Gregor had the longer range, but Raphael didn't have to worry about dropping his weapons. For his height, Raphael was pretty fast. Although he was not a rager, his speed was comparable to one. The muscles in his arms were wiry but strong, which meant that every clang meant that Gregor had a higher chance of dropping his sword than he was used to.

However, Gregor had his advantages, too. Regular half-hour workouts with pushups and sit-ups, as well as biking, swimming, and/or jogging on Sundays had maintained the muscles that he had developed in the Underland. The clash with Raphael had reawakened the rager senses that he had not used for a year; before now, they had lain mostly dormant, with only miniscule rushes that hardly made any difference, although Gregor was still a good fighter without them.

But now, Gregor was facing his first real challenge. Raphael was strong, maybe even as tough to beat as Luxa. And now, he could see that even with his rager senses, there were hardly any weak spots that Raphael could not defend or avoid attacks to within a moment's notice.

Therefore, he had to improvise. Raphael was getting tired; Gregor could see it in his eyes. They had been fighting for about twenty minutes, but the rager senses had also improved Gregor's speed and power, which meant that Raphael had to expend more energy than he was used to in order to block or dodge. Gregor, on the other hand, was hardly panting, although he was sure that his energy would run out soon; Raphael wasn't exactly a pushover.

After five minutes of clashing with no headway, Raphael finally made a mistake. His fighting style was a combination of offense and defense that was perfectly suited to his weapons, the bladed shields. Therefore, his normal strategy was to use one hand for offense and the other for defense. However, that strategy gave way to desperation to win in Raphael's mind. His mistake was swinging both his shields in the same direction.

Gregor quickly blocked both shields with one sword, surprising Raphael and leaving him wide open. Gregor took the opportunity to try the same attack as before once more. This time, it worked. Raphael stiffened as Gregor's blade scored a thin cut on his cheek, and then he sighed in resignation. "First blood is yours. I lose," Raphael said. Gregor smiled, his rager senses wearing off. Suddenly, the feeling in his legs almost completely disappeared, and he staggered.

"Are you alright?" Raphael asked, grabbing on to him to keep him from falling.

"Give me a sec," Gregor panted. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Raphael was panting, too, and that the cut on his cheek was beginning to bleed. "You better get a Band-Aid or something. Sweating on a cut is pretty painful," he said.

"I have it," Lizzie's voice piped up from beside them. The two boys looked down to see her meekly handing Raphael a Band-Aid. Her other hand held a whole box of them.

Raphael smiled, but it wasn't his confident, mocking one. Instead, it was a kind, tender smile, and the type of smile normally given by older siblings. "Thanks," he said, taking the Band-Aid and walking to the window of the box. The windows were reflective, so while the image wasn't very clear, Raphael could still attach the Band-Aid onto the cut.

When he was finished, the two boys led Lizzie and Boots up the stairs. Ronan had left with Mark a little bit into the fight, apparently confident that his son would win. Neither of the boys was surprised at his reaction at the news of the true winner. "Amazing, Mark. Your son is much more powerful than he looks. You haven't been training him as well, have you?" he asked. Gregor's dad didn't answer, and Ronan shrugged. Like his son, he didn't care enough to pry.

After a small conversation between the males, Grace and Joanna finished cooking dinner. The food was not extravagant by any means, but the two women were both mothers, and they were both used to their children's tastes.

As they ate, Gregor noticed that Raphael kept glancing at him. "Is there something wrong, Raphael?" he asked.

"There's something I want to know. Where did you get those scars on your chest?" Raphael asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gregor said.

However, Raphael had seen him and his family stiffen a little, and would not give up as easily as he normally did. He gave a short laugh. "You might be able to fool your friends, but not me. I know that you have scars on your chest. There's no other explanation for a group of long, ropy bumps that suddenly appeared when your shirt stuck to your chest from all the sweat."

Gregor swallowed. He had been so tired after his spar with Raphael that he had forgotten. Grace glared at Raphael. "It's none of your business," she snapped.

"No, mom. They deserve to know why I beat Raphael, even though he's probably their strongest," Gregor said.

"You can't tell them, Gregor. I forbid it," Grace said.

"The members of the Strixus family are like medieval knights. I think that we can trust them," Gregor said. Grace was about to speak up again, but Mark stopped her. She glared at her husband, but he shook his head.

"I know that you're trying to forget, honey, but there's no point. Gregor and Lizzie still have nightmares, and Boots still talks to cockroaches. They will never forget, especially considering that it was where Gregor met his true love," Mark said.

"Wait, what?" Ronan asked.

"True love? At his age? It's almost impossible," Joanna dismissed it.

"I will never forget her, mom. It wasn't just a crush. I was in love. Me almost dying for her should have proved it," Gregor said.

"You almost died?" Raphael asked.

Gregor pulled up his shirt to reveal the long claw marks that were left by the Bane. Three long, ropy scars crossed his chest. Even now, a year later, they looked bad. "You wanted to know where I got these? Well, I got them in a world hidden under New York City. Remember when you said that my family disappeared for a few months? That's where we were. It was called the Underland," Gregor explained.

"The Underland? So it's like hell?" Ronan asked.

"No. It was so much more than that. They had their share of wars, but there were other things down there, things that were so beautiful…" Gregor sighed, thinking of Luxa.

"Earth to Gregor. We're still here," Raphael called.

Gregor snapped out of his reverie. "Yes, well, it happened when I was eleven years old…"

_Later…_

Gregor was a very good storyteller, being as detailed as possible about the main events. Of course, the private events, such as him and Luxa kissing, were left mostly unaddressed, only mentioned, and the Strixus family didn't pry. They were more interested in Gregor's status as a rager.

By the time Gregor was finished with the whole story, it was 9:30 pm; Gregor had been talking for almost two hours. Surprisingly enough, the Strixus family had neutral looks on their faces, like they weren't surprised at all. "Well?" Grace asked bitterly. "Are you satisfied now?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Mm-hmm."

The three replies came in quick succession. "Wait, what? You're not surprised at all? Gregor told you that we almost _died_ in a place hundreds of miles underground, and you're not surprised?" Lizzie asked.

"We are surprised. We just hide feelings like that very well," Joanna said.

"Natural-born killer, huh? I didn't stand a chance," Raphael sighed.

Gregor laughed. "Actually, you almost got me several times. You're one of those rare non-rager fighters that can take on a rager. Even in the Underland, beings like that are rare," he said.

"Yeah? What if I told that I had an adopted sister even faster than I am, and an adopted brother even more physically powerful than I am?" Raphael asked.

"Are you serious?" Gregor asked.

"Totally serious. Unfortunately, the faster one is weaker than I am, and the stronger one is slower than I am. But if you were to fight all three of us at once, it would probably be as hard as fighting the Bane," Raphael said.

Gregor glared at him. "Fighting that monster was a nightmare. Don't bring up bad memories," he snapped.

Raphael looked down. "My apologies," he muttered. Gregor grunted.

Joanna smiled. "But he has a point. Lucian and Sophia were ever the more powerful when they were working as a team. And the few times when Raphael actually stopped fighting with them meant that they were very, very angry with someone else. When the three of them worked together, there was no one that they could not best," she sighed.

"Where are they now?" Mark asked.

"Studying abroad with their aunt. Actually, Raphael got the offer too, but he wanted to stay behind. He doesn't want to leave his house. As tough as he is, he's the only bird that hasn't flown the nest yet," Ronan teased lightly.

Raphael glared at him. "I'll fly the nest when I am ready, Dad," he growled.

Ronan smiled. "I know you will, son," he said. Then he looked back at the Asinus family. "At any rate, I am glad that you trusted us enough to tell us about your family's secret. I know it was painful, but talking about it helps. You can talk to us anytime you wish. I give you my word that we will not tell anyone else about this," he said.

"Thank you, Ronan, Joanna, Raphael," Grace said. The Strixus family nodded.

"It's late, and Boots looks like she's falling asleep," Joanna said, eyeing the young girl. "Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow is the weekend, so you can oversleep," she added.

"Good night, everyone," Grace said, picking up Boots.

"I'll see you out," Raphael said as his parents answered with "good nights". He followed the Asinus family to the front door. Gregor was the last one out.

"You know, Raphael, I wouldn't have told you that story if I didn't consider you my friend. I wouldn't consider you my friend if I didn't trust you. So, let me ask you a question," Gregor said, looking at Raphael. "Are we friends? Do you trust me as I trust you?"

Raphael rolled his eyes. "That was two questions, but I'll answer them both. I do trust you, but I don't consider you a friend," he said. Gregor raised an eyebrow. "I consider you a comrade-in-arms." Raphael held out his hand. "It was great to meet you."

"The feeling is mutual," Gregor said. He and Raphael shook hands.

"Come on, Gregor!" Grace called.

"Good night, man. See you around," Raphael called as Gregor walked down the steps to the walkway.

"Good night, Raphael," Gregor answered, casually waving a hand without turning around.

Raphael grinned, amused, before closing the door.

**And that was the start of Gregor and Raphael's friendship! Sorry for taking so long to update. Procrastination's a bitch. Please leave a comment below. **

**The next chapter will reveal exactly how New York City went into the post-apocalyptic state shown in the first few chapters in the original story. It will also be the final chapter in the Meeting Arc. Then, there will be a brief intermission in which one character speaks and answers some of your questions. Again, which character is up to you.  
**


	5. Meeting Arc: Destruction

**I apologize for the lack of updates, but I restarted my Wolf's Rain fanfiction again, so now I have two projects to work with on top of school, something that I don't normally do, especially considering what my school has to make up for. **

**Anyway, after this chapter will be one of the characters answering questions. I would prefer it if you avoided questions about Gregor or Raphael, since I want to save the best for last, but if you want to ask them anyway, feel free to do so. **

A year had passed since Gregor had met Raphael. Now, they were attending the same high school, and Larry and Angelina were with them. Boots had begun kindergarten, and Lizzie had skipped a grade. She was in fifth grade now. Raphael had gotten along very well with Larry and Angelina, and offered to give them mild training in martial arts, but both of them quickly declined.

Raphael and Gregor sparred regularly, but although he got stronger, Raphael was never able to beat Gregor, a fact that annoyed him slightly. Still, the two remained fast friends through thick and thin, always having each other's backs. Raphael even helped Gregor take care of Lizzie and Boots when Gregor's parents weren't home.

Now, the four teenagers were heading to Gregor's house for the weekend. It was a peaceful day; clear and sunny, squirrels and birds flying around, children playing in the park…it seemed like today could have been a dream. Of course, most dreams eventually turn into nightmares.

As the group was walking by a TV store, with only a few blocks until they got home, they heard something on one of the TVs that made them stop. _"We interrupt for this breaking news! We have just received reports that several powerful bombs have exploded in the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty!"_

"What?" Raphael asked in a shocked rasp.

"_Both landmarks have been reduced to rubble!"_ The picture switched to what used to be Ellis Island. Lady Liberty's head was intact. The rest of her was a blackened husk. Then, the scene shifted to Fifth Avenue around the Empire State Building—or what was left of it. _"The police are currently attempting to track down who has done these acts, but there are no leads as of yet!" _Then, a paper was suddenly handed to the reporter. As he read it, the reporter's eyes widened. _"Everyone, get into the bomb shelters! We have just received a report that an entire fleet of planes has bombed ours and is heading to attack us! Go! GO!" _Then the screen shifted to static.

"We have to get out of here!" Larry yelled, but Raphael grabbed his arm. "What are you doing? We have to get to a bomb shelter!"

"I know where the closest bomb shelter is! Just trust me!" Raphael yelled. Just then, there was the sound of a bomb being dropped and exploded. "I don't think you have a choice now! Follow me!" He ran off towards his house.

"We don't have a choice! I think I know what he's talking about, anyway!" Gregor yelled, following Raphael. Larry and Angelina did the same, not seeing any other choice. As the teenagers ran, they also jumped when multitudes of bombs dropped down behind them. They could hear and feel the explosions getting closer. Larry and Angelina were shocked when they saw that Raphael was leading them towards Gregor and Raphael's houses. Before they could say anything, Ronan opened the door to Raphael's house.

"In here!" he yelled as another few bombs exploded. The four teenagers quickly ran in. Ronan took them to the basement of the house, where Gregor quickly saw his family standing with Raphael's mom.

"Oh, you guys are okay!" Gregor's mom cried. Lizzie and Boots ran into their brother's arms.

"Where are our parents?" Angelina and Larry asked.

"All we can do now for them is hope that they are in a bomb shelter. We cannot do anything else," Ronan said grimly as the house shook from the impact of a bomb.

"Don't worry. The roof, ceilings, and floors of this house are built on several layers of titanium-steel alloy frame. The basement ceiling is especially strong. We should be safe down here," Joanna said.

Ronan gestured at the metal training box. "We can't go out there for a few weeks at most, which is why we prepared this emergency bomb shelter in our house. It also serves as a training facility," he said.

"How did you get all this stuff?" Grace asked.

Joanna smiled. "We have a lot more money than it seems. We just gave up fanciness for durability. This house probably can't withstand repeated bombings, but it will hold against ten at least. And the box is stacked with provisions," she said, pressing a button to reveal tins of microwaveable food and snacks.

"Who the hell are you people? Who does these kinds of things in day and age?" Angelina protested.

"Oh, shut up! You're being annoying!" Raphael said as the house shook.

"All we can do now is wait out the storm," Gregor said, sitting down.

"How are we going to shower?" Angelina asked.

"We don't. That's the one thing we don't have; running water. We've got enough to drink, but not for baths." Ronan said indifferently as he led the others in. Everyone ignored the indignant cries of Angelina.

"Yay! No baths, no baths!" Boots giggled, making everyone smile.

_Time skip…_

Everyone lost track of time in the shelter. Joanna was right; the house stayed standing even after several bombings. The ceiling didn't collapse, and although the house shook regularly, there were no cave-ins. Food and water was rationed, and though they couldn't cook it properly, the microwave that was conveniently there were more than enough to serve hot meals.

Larry and Angelina realized that it wasn't likely that they would see their families again, but they took comfort from the others. Raphael had his own concerns. Lucian and Sophia would surely hear about this. Even if New York City were banned from the rest of the world, they would find a way to get back. They were his siblings, after all, raised by the same parents. They were resourceful. Raphael considered telling Ronan and Joanna their secret, but decided against it. He made a promise, and the Strixus family always kept their word.

Eventually, the shaking stopped for an elongated period of time. It was a few hours after the stop, so Ronan allowed them to leave the shelter in small groups. Of course, Raphael and Gregor were the first ones to go. And when they emerged out onto the streets, they hardly recognized them.

Many of the houses had been reduced to rubble. Many others, including Gregor's house, were skeletons of what they once were. The only house that seemed even remotely intact was Raphael's house, and although the titanium-steel alloy frames kept the house standing, it looked pretty bad on the outside. All the windows were broken, the paint was falling off in shreds, and some troublemakers already painted hate messages in graffiti.

Neither of the boys needed to say anything when they returned. The depressed expressions on their faces were enough. Ronan and Joanna were the next to leave, using the money they had to buy more supplies.

They were gone for about a half hour when Raphael got worried. "The supermarket is only a block away. They move much faster than this. Something's wrong," he said.

"I'm sure they're fine, Raphael." Grace tried to comfort him.

"I'm going out there. Something had to have happened," Raphael persisted.

"No. It's too dangerous!" Mark warned.

"I'm going whether you guys like or not!" Raphael shouted. The defiant look on his face convinced the others.

"Then I'm coming with you," Gregor said. His determined expression stopped all argument.

Wordlessly, the two boys went out. They moved at a brisk pace towards the supermarket. However, they soon found that they did not have to go that far. In an alley near the supermarket, Raphael discovered the bloodied body of his mother. "MOM!" he screamed. He kneeled beside her, checking for her pulse. He held his fingers to her neck for a few moments, then jabbed them repeatedly, desperately. "No, no, no…" he repeated as he did so, like a mantra.

"Raphael, stop it! She's gone!" Gregor commanded.

"No…she can't be…she's my mom!" Raphael said.

"You can't do anything for her now! Calm yourself!" Gregor said.

"Shut up, Gregor! Just shut the hell up! You don't know what it's like! All you've lost in your life was your bedridden grandmother! She was my MOM!" Raphael cried, pointing at Joanna's body. Raphael wasn't crying, surprisingly. All he looked was angry.

Gregor got reasonably furious. "What's your problem, Raphael! You have no idea what I've had to go through! I've had to live through wars and poverty, lost so many of my friends within the span of days, and always fighting, fighting just to get by! Don't even think saying that I don't know what it's like!" he responded with fury equal to his friend's.

As the two friends glared at each other with malice, Ronan's voice echoed through the alley. "My…son…"

"Dad?" Raphael asked, running into the alley. Gregor reluctantly followed him. They found Ronan, with a man standing over his fallen body. Both were looking at the newcomers.

"Who the hell are you?" the man asked.

"I could ask you the same. Get the hell away from my dad," Raphael said.

"My name is Jonathan Wanton. Come get me, kids…" he said, retreating out the other side of the alley.

"Damn it!" Raphael yelled, trying to pursue him. However, it was a wasted effort. The guy was quick. He turned back to his dad. "Hold on, Dad! We'll get you back to…!"

"No, my son…I am not long for this world," Ronan rasped.

"No, Dad! I'm not losing you, too!" Raphael cried.

"So Joanna is dead…I'm sorry, Raphael. He took us by surprise…tell Lucian and Sophia that we're sorry," Ronan said.

"You can't go! Please!" Raphael pleaded.

"It is time for you to leave the nest. Don't let me down, son. Avenge my death!" Ronan said. "And Gregor, help him do it! I beg you!"

"I will, Mr. Strixus," Gregor said, nodding.

"Dad…" Raphael whispered.

"Raphael…" Ronan whispered back, his voice growing fainter. "You are my pride and joy…one day you will find someone that you will love, just as I have loved your mother…protect that person with your life…promise me that you will carry…on…the Stri…xus…line…" His voice faded away, and his eyes grew blank.

"I promise, Dad. And I'll avenge your death," Raphael said, standing up. Gregor noticed that there were no tears. Instead, there was nothing but anger. "Let's go."

Gregor grunted, and the two boys headed back to the house to deliver the sad news.

_A year later…_

A tall person wearing a huge baggy coat and a large hat that hid his face stood in front of a smaller man. The man had a knife out. "You got some nerve coming here! Who are you?" he asked.

"Why?" the person asked.

"So I can stick it on a jar when I put your guts in it!" the man cackled, pointing at the impressive collection of them already. The insides of the many humans that the man had killed were being preserved in formaldehyde. How he got it was unknown.

"You are a sick, sick man," the person said.

"Disgusted? Your guts will be joining them!" the man yelled.

"I'm afraid that won't happen, Jonathan Wanton," the person said, lifting the brim of his hat to reveal a very youthful, but familiar face to Jonathan.

"You! That little brat! Who are you?" Jonathan asked.

"My name is Raphael Fenrir Strixus. You killed my father. Prepare to die!" Raphael screamed.

"Not if you die first!" Jonathan replied, rushing at him. Raphael smiled slightly, turned tail, and fled just as the knife was about to touch him. Jonathan smiled as well.

"A chase, eh! They never get away!" he cackled before pursuing Raphael.

**And that is how things were set in motion. I apologize for the lack of details, but I was admittedly anxious to get this over with. Remember, the content of the next chapter depends on you. Who do you want to know more about? Share your opinions and your thoughts. Leave a comment below! **


	6. Intermission: Angelina Speaks

**Excellent, excellent! After I published the last chapter, I was flooded with all your reviews. All of you have made my day, and I thank you all. In return, I will bring out the next story arc sooner than usual—perhaps even tomorrow. **

**Before the next story arc, however, I promised that there would be some questions about the characters being answered within this chapter. A guest reviewed with the question of how Larry and Angelina felt after Ripred showed up. So, to that anonymous guest, and to everyone else, here is Angelina, archer extraordinaire, to answer that question and more.**

**Warning: spoilers for the original story!**

Where should I begin? Things were perfect for me—I was being noticed by so many boys. Gregor, Raphael, and Larry all talked about how pretty I was at times. I was being repeatedly referred to as a great actor, and when people even heard my name in a school play as a member of the cast or saw that I was going to be part of one, tickets were almost completely sold out. It was a great life.

Then, it happened. I was walking home with the boys when the destruction of New York City began. I was so scared. If Gregor and Raphael weren't around to lead Larry and I to Raphael's secret bomb shelter, we would probably be dead along with our parents.

We stayed for days on end in that bomb shelter. We didn't go hungry, but I was forced to wake up all the time to a smell that got worse every day. No one could take baths. I think the only one who was happy about that was Boots. Little kids could never understand how important bathing is.

Finally, Gregor and Raphael decided to leave to see the situation. The minute they came back, I understood. The looks on their faces—that bleak, hopeless look, something that they never had before then; I understood. New York City had been almost completely destroyed. I lost all hope of ever seeing my parents again.

I thought it couldn't get any worse, but it did. That same day, Raphael's parents died…murdered by some crazy serial killer. Raphael was devastated, but he was the one who took initiative after that. He and Gregor gave everyone except for Lizzie and Boots some training in unarmed combat.

It wasn't enough, though. That's why Larry and I approached Raphael with a request. We wanted him to train us in the use of the some of the weapons on his wall. I had my eye on a crossbow and bolts, while Larry chose a two-pronged spear. Raphael agreed to help. Besides, Gregor was almost useless in teaching others. It's not our fault we're not ragers like him.

At first it was hard. I took archery in camps, but crossbows were so much harder to use. They were more complicated. I got the feeling that before guns, they were the primary long-ranged weapons. Larry had less trouble with the spear, but neither of us could even come close to beating Raphael, even when I was fully used to using crossbows.

Things got worse. The same serial killer that killed Raphael's parents killed Gregor's parents too. That was when I understood Gregor and Raphael more clearly than I ever had before. I understood why they were so driven to fight. They wanted to protect us. The bounty hunting that they did was not only a way to make a living, but it was a way to keep us safe. Larry and I finally saw it. Knowing that, we continued training harder and harder. Raphael's battle simulator helped us a lot, too. Before I knew it, I was suddenly an expert marksman. It wasn't one of my dreams at first, but since New York City was destroyed, I was happy with whatever I could achieve, no matter how small. I wasn't happy, but I was content.

Then things got weird. Gregor and Raphael had just returned from capturing the one who had killed their parents, and Raphael's house, which Lizzie somehow managed to turn into somewhat of a base, was attacked by gangsters for the fifth or sixth time. As usual, Gregor and Raphael went out to face them. But this time, even they seemed to be having trouble. There were just too many, and the crossbows that we had positioned on the windows were doing some good, but not enough.

Then I saw it. Or rather, Lizzie did first. Something was attacking that huge group from behind. It was huge. The best way I could describe it at first sight was a storm that just flung gangsters aside. Before long, all the gangsters were gone. I didn't understand it at first. How could something be so strong as to turn a battle around like that? It wasn't long before I saw how it was possible.

In fact, I almost fainted in fear when I saw it. It was a giant rat, with an x-shaped scar on its face. I would've probably shot it right then and there, if it hadn't been for Raphael stopping me. He had Gregor slung over his shoulder. After he put Gregor down, he let the rat in, calling him "Lord Ripred" with a friendly smile. I almost fainted again when Lizzie ran up to the rat and gave him a big hug. I couldn't believe it when Ripred hugged her back.

Then Gregor woke up and told us what he had been hiding ever since eighth grade. Ripred was someone from a world hundreds of miles below New York City. He was someone Gregor met during his disappearance in sixth and seventh grades. I kept glancing at Raphael's face during his explanation, but he was unmoved. That's when I realized. Larry and I were the only ones who didn't know about Gregor's adventures. I didn't believe him at first, but then he showed me the scars on his chest. Three big ridges going across his chest. Claw marks, he said, made by the Bane.

I fainted.

When I came to, Gregor told us that we were going to the Underland to save some girl. The queen of Regalia, he said. We went through a tunnel in Central Park. Gregor shocked me when he suddenly jumped off a cliff, and shocked me even more when he came up on a giant black bat! At least I didn't faint that time.

I got onto a dark blue bat with behind Raphael. It was all I could do to keep from screaming. Even Raphael seemed to get a bit nervous. It wasn't long before we entered Regalia, though.

It was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. The stones on the buildings themselves seemed to shine. Although we were underground, it was bright, like there was an artificial sun down here. Gregor stood up on his bat and laughed out loud, spreading his arms to the air. He seemed genuinely happy, even jubilant, to be here. He loved this place, even though he almost died several times here. Why? What did this place have that the former New York didn't have?

Larry and I explored Regalia, since Gregor and Raphael had decided that we would stay there. We got acquainted with several of Gregor's Underland friends. At first, I was freaked out by all the giant animals and freaky-looking people, but I got used to it eventually. A lot of the guys here actually weren't bad-looking either…

I met the queen, Luxa, and her cousin, Nerissa, the two that Gregor seemed desperate to save. I saw the love in Gregor's eyes as Gregor looked at her. When she looked at him, I saw the same love in her eyes. They were in love. That was why he was so bent on saving her from those giant ants. Raphael and Nerissa seemed to be close, too, even though they could hardly have known each other for more than a day. I didn't understand. What was it about these girls that brought Gregor and Raphael down to their knees? What did they have that the girls in the Overland didn't?

I had a lot of time to ponder these questions. During that time, so many things happened. Larry and I bonded with two bats, and we quickly rose in the ranks of the Regalian army as the royal family's bodyguards. Of course, we couldn't do that without getting stronger, so that's what we did. My arrows got even more accurate, and Larry became a practical dancer with his spear. Then I killed someone, and lashed out at Raphael as a result. I couldn't believe that I had actually taken a life. Larry helped me through it, though, and Raphael forgave me.

We even crashed a wedding trying to stop a traitorous bastard. As a result, Gregor became the true king of Regalia. He was able to wield Altric, a luminous blue sword, while Luxa was able to wield Lorelei, a beautiful pale purple rapier. Altric and Lorelei were the symbols of the royal family. A couple that could wield them with perfect coordination were considered the true rulers of Regalia. It was harder than it sounded. Gregor and Luxa were the first in decades to do that. They were married. About time, too.

Raphael and Nerissa were falling in love. Everyone could see it except for them. Things were horrible when they got into a huge fight. Raphael's spirit was crushed during this time. Not only did this hurt Regalia's workers' cheer, but also it was hurting Nerissa, too. I could see it. I had never seen Raphael like this—not even when his parents died. It was a happy day when they finally made up.

Then, someone surprising showed up. I never thought that there were other people like Raphael in the world, but there were. He had an adopted brother named Lucian and an adopted sister named Sophia. Lucian took Larry and I down with his axe. The next time I saw him, he apologized for it, but it was a long time before I could trust him, even after we saved his adopted sister, who turned out to be his girlfriend, too. I saw Raphael's spirit inside both of them.

Now, Larry and I are dating. It's awkward, but I really like him. He and I both finally understand Gregor and Raphael's feelings. They want to protect all that they can. And I'll be damned if I betray them. They helped me when I was down. They gave me the skills I needed to get where I am today; a trusted friend and adviser to the king. I even train others in archery. And almost every day, my students ask me to tell them my story. Larry always joins and watches in amusement as I tell my young pupils what I told you just now. For the first time in years, I am truly happy. I've lost a lot, but I gained even more.

I love Regalia, and I love my life here.

**And that's how the Angelina in my story feels. The next chapter will involve Gregor and Luxa. They need some development anyway. I focused too much on Raphael and Nerissa in the original.**

**And as always, leave a comment. The message that comes up after you do that is true. I thank you for your support. **


	7. Gluxa Arc: Alister and Marianna

**As promised, the Gluxa chapter has been released far sooner than normal. However, in return, I ask that you readers be patient with the next chapter. After all, I do have another project to work on. Matter of fact, I could use your support on it, so check it out! **

**This one-shot takes place after the events of the main story.**

Gregor and Ares were flying towards the arena. He wished that he didn't have to leave Luxa behind, but his stubborn wife insisted that she take over his duties for a day. He had tried his very best to talk her out of it, and even asked his other friends for help, but in the end, her spirit surpassed his. Even if she was nearing the end of her pregnancy, she still hated lying around.

"Are you worried about Luxa?" Ares asked.

"The doctor said that the baby would come in weeks, maybe even days! I don't want anything to go wrong at the last minute!" Gregor exclaimed.

"Be grateful you're not Raphael. He's been doting on Nerissa so much that she has to threaten to slice him with he flail to make her stop. He worries about her even more than you do about Luxa," Ares said.

"But Nerissa's five months pregnant! Luxa has been pregnant for nine months, give or take a few days!" Gregor said.

"Enough, Gregor. Trust me, your wife is the queen for a reason. She will be fine," Ares said as they landed in the middle of the arena.

Gregor was about to say something when they heard a well-known voice. "Your Majesty! Master Ares! What brings you to the arena?" It was Raphael's brother, Lucian. Gregor sighed when he saw Lucian and his students bowing.

"Up, up! No need to bow here. In the arena, all men are equal!" Gregor said. The axe master and his students straightened. "I had some free time, General. I was hoping that I could have a practice match with you, Lady Sophia, or any other of the advisors."

Lucian rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm the only one here. Larry and Angelina are out for lunch, Sophia's in a meeting with Her Majesty Luxa, and of course Raphael is fussing over Nerissa," he laughed.

"You'll do, Lucian. Besides, I haven't fought you in a while. If I recall correctly, your power is second to none, even though your speed could use some work. Have you gotten any faster?" Gregor asked.

Lucian removed his axe from its case on his axe. "Would you like to find out?" he asked.

Gregor unsheathed Altric and pointed the royal blue blade at his friend. "That's just the answer I would expect from someone like you," he said.

Lucian nodded. "As you wish, Your Majesty." By now, the word had gotten out. Lucian may have been an Overlander, but what Gregor said was true. He was arguably the most physically powerful fighter in Regalia. He was the brute within Regalia's top fighters. Although he stood at 5'9" like Gregor, and was therefore short compared to Raphael's 6'1", he was stockier and widely built than Gregor or Raphael. Unfortunately, the extra weight made him slow, but he was a good heavy lifter, and when it came to fighting, not even Raphael could hold out under the impact of his repeated attacks for long. A fight between him and Gregor would be quite interesting.

Lucian was now a general of Regalia. After Mareth had retired, he took over the role of training the new soldiers and leading the Regalians into battles, even though he was hardly much older than some of them, and much younger than some of the veterans. Still, the veterans didn't complain, since the inexperienced young man almost always asked them, with fitting respect, for their advice. With his new life, he married Sophia, his adopted sister. It seemed wrong in principle, but many of the Regalians knew that they could reproduce fine children, since they did not have the same blood, so they didn't complain.

Now, Gregor and Lucian stood a few yards away from each other, weighing each other down. As usual, though, it was Lucian who attacked first, holding his axe in a position ready to swing.

He was too slow. Gregor moved out of reach and moved in close, counterattacking with a thrust. However, although Lucian was not very fast, he still possessed enough speed to move small parts of his body fast enough to dodge attacks, and the simple shift in position of his arm to avoid the attack was child's play even for him.

Now, Lucian crashed his axe into the ground around Gregor, making the earth shake slightly and a small cloud of dust fly up. Gregor knew Lucian was strong, but to make the ground shake like that was surprising, even for him. He quickly retreated before Lucian could take advantage of his surprise.

However, Lucian put on a full sprint, getting to Gregor with speeds that he had never demonstrated before. He struck Gregor in the stomach with the hilt of his axe. Gregor had the wind knocked out of him before flying back a few yards. He forced himself up, kneeling.

When he looked up, Lucian had his axe held above Gregor, ready to draw the first blood and therefore end the fight. Gregor reacted quickly, sliding under Lucian's feet and tripping him. Lucian's axe dropped as he fell, landing flat on the ground next to Gregor's head. Gregor punched Lucian in the stomach before poking him on the arm, drawing blood.

Lucian looked at the wound and glared at Gregor, rather annoyed. "Damn it, Gregor, has there been anyone who even had a chance of beating you?" he asked.

Gregor put a finger to his chin. "Let's see…Raphael, Nerissa, Luxa, you, Sophia, Luxa, Ripred, the Bane, Larry, Luxa, Angelina, Luxa…oh, I nearly forgot, Luxa," he joked.

Lucian grinned and picked up his axe. "Haha…she's probably the only human I know who can really bring the great Warrior King of Regalia to his knees. Speaking of which, shouldn't you be with her? I thought the baby was due anytime soon," he said.

Gregor immediately went crazy again. "Dude, don't remind me! I don't want anything to happen!" he exclaimed.

"Nothing is going to happen! Sophia is looking after her! She'll be fine!" Lucian said.

Gregor was almost reassured when Sophia lighted down on her bat, Phaedra, and rushed to Gregor and Lucian. She gripped both of Gregor's arms, panting. "Your Majesty! It's the queen…she's gone into labor!"

All heads turned when Gregor screamed in panic. "Damn it, Lucian, you just had to jinx it!" he shouted.

Ares and Orion, Lucian's bat flew up and threw their bonds onto their backs as Sophia got onto Phaedra again. Ares was flying with utmost urgency, and Orion and Phaedra could hardly keep up. "Where is she? Why did you leave her?" Gregor demanded.

"I took her to the emergency room as fast as I could! Raphael is with her now! We don't have much time, my king! She told me to take you her as fast as I could!" Sophia screamed over the rush.

The three bats alighted down on a balcony leading directly into the hospital. There was a crowd, but Gregor wasted no time in jumping off of Ares. When the crowd saw him, they quickly moved aside to create a path for him. Gregor couldn't care less. All he was focused on was the screaming. His beloved wife was screaming.

"Luxa!" he shouted. Then, Raphael appeared before him.

"You're going the wrong way. Follow me!" Raphael led Gregor in a different direction. The two were racing side by side, just as most of the time. However, this time, they were running towards something with fear in their hearts.

Raphael shoved open a pair of double doors. Inside the room, Nerissa held Luxa's hand. She had stopped screaming by the time Gregor walked in. "You're late, you bastard!" Luxa snapped.

"Is it here yet?" Gregor asked.

"Almost. A few hours at most. Your baby is quite the fussy one," Nerissa said. Gregor looked at her. She was probably the only calm one here. Even Raphael seemed rather nervous.

"But I thought that it wasn't due for a few days at most!" Gregor protested.

"You choose now to ask that? The baby obviously thinks now's the time, so shut up and get ready to be a father!" Luxa said.

"Calm down, Luxa. You're going to be fine," Raphael said.

Luxa glared at him. "Get that crowd outside out of there!" she ordered.

Raphael bid a hasty retreat to follow her orders while Gregor took Nerissa's place. "Sssh, you're going to be all right. I'm here, Luxa," he said as he held her hand.

Luxa calmed down considerably, and for the first time since Gregor arrived, she smiled. "I know I will, Gregor," she whispered. Gregor leaned down to kiss her deeply, although both he and Nerissa were surprised by her dramatic and abrupt shift in attitude.

As they pulled away, the royal doctor finally stepped in. "Oh! Your Majesty Gregor! I apologize for my tardiness, but I had to use the lavatory before birth!" he said.

Gregor gave him a half-lidded look. "Not something that I wanted to hear, Doctor Aural. What is her status?" he said.

"It's close. Very close. Right now, the baby is at rest, but I believe that it will come soon. It's only a matter of time. All we can do now is wait," Aural said. Gregor made a strange sound that sounded like a cross between an impatient whine and an expectant cry.

Just then, Raphael came in, and everyone in the room noticed that the noise had died down considerably. "Your Majesties, the only ones that arte out there are the ones in our inner circle. Lizzie, Hazard, Boots, Larry, Angelina, Orion, Phaedra, Bellerophon, Daphne, Ares, Aurora, Ladon, Hestia, Lucian, and Sophia. They're all waiting anxiously. We have to wait a few hours, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," Gregor said.

Raphael patted Gregor on the back. "A father at seventeen, Gregor. Can you believe it?" he asked.

Gregor laughed. "Like you're one to talk, Raphael," he said, eying Nerissa, who was bulging with pregnancy herself.

Raphael laughed as well. "Ooh, boy, our parents would kill us if they were alive," he joked, but also with a sad tone.

"Would you and Nerissa please leave, Raphael?" Luxa asked.

Raphael shrugged as Nerissa stood up. "Call us if you need us, cousin," Nerissa said. Raphael helped her out of the room.

_A few hours later…_

Gregor must have fallen asleep holding Luxa's hand, because the next thing he knew, he was looking wildly around at the sound of Luxa's screaming. "It's coming!" she screeched.

"Doctor!" Gregor roared.

Doctor Aural reappeared from the office he had in the room. He peeked under Luxa's blanket. "Oh, dear Sandwich! She's beginning to crown! Your Majesty, just calm down, please!" he exclaimed.

"How can I calm down? I'm having a baby now!" Luxa screamed.

There was an urgent pounding at the door. "Gregor! Luxa!" Raphael's voice shouted.

"It's happening! Stay out!" Gregor returned.

"Luxa is screaming bloody murder in there! All of us can hardly ignore it, much less stay out! We're coming in!" Raphael shouted.

"You guys come in here, I swear I'm going strangle the life out of all of you!" Gregor and Luxa screamed at the same time. Raphael's voice did not respond.

"Just relax, and do as I say," Doctor Aural soothed. Luxa calmed down only to the point where she was breathing heavily from the pain. "Good. Now, on my mark, you have to push as hard as you can, and squeeze His Majesty Gregor's hand as hard as you can as you do so. It will reduce the pain. Do you hear me?"

Luxa nodded while Gregor paled considerably. "Okay. Now, one, two, three…push!" Luxa screamed as she pushed, and Gregor cried out as she almost broke every bone in his hand. "Again! Push!" The process was repeated. "Again! Put all your strength in it, Your Majesty!" Gregor's bones were on the verge of breaking. "Almost there! Push!" Gregor's bones were now bruised. "One more! You can do it! PUSH!" Luxa let out a bloodcurdling screech, and Gregor's left hand was now lying limp in her hand.

The sharp cry of an infant rang out. Doctor Aural came out holding a small, pale infant. "It's a boy, Your Majesties. The new prince of Regalia!" He cut the umbilical cord.

"Did you hear that, Luxa? We have a…" Gregor trailed off when he saw Luxa still breathing. "Luxa?"

"I'm not done! Something's still in there!" Luxa shouted.

Doctor Aural wrapped the boy in a blanket, put him in a basket, and looked under the blanket again. "Oh dear Sandwich, twins, at least!"

Gregor's eyes widened and quickly switched his left hand with his right. "Do what you have to do get that baby out of my wife!" he shouted.

"Yes, Your Majesty Gregor! Your Majesty Luxa, we shall repeat the process from before! On my mark, push!" Doctor Aural ordered. Luxa nodded. "One, two, three, push!" Luxa screamed again.

"Gregor! It's your fault I'm like this!" Luxa screamed. The process was repeated twice more before there was an urgent pounding at the door.

"DO NOT COME IN!" Gregor roared at the same time as the doctor said "push!" At that moment, a baby's wailing filled the air once more. Gregor and Luxa's son started crying in his basket as well. Doctor Aural lifted out another pale infant.

"It's a girl, Your Majesties," Doctor Aural said, cutting the umbilical cord as well.

"Luxa? Is that all?" Gregor asked.

Luxa was panting, her hand equally as limp as Gregor's. She leaned her head back and looked up at her husband. "My dear…you have no need to worry. It is over," she sighed.

"We have twins, Luxa. Twins! Can you believe it?" Gregor asked, crying a little.

Luxa was crying as well. "I'm so sorry about your hands, Gregor. I never meant to…" she sobbed.

Gregor embraced her as best he could in their current positions. "Luxa…my hands are a small price to pay. They will heal. They are merely bruised, not broken. My only regret is that I cannot hold my son and daughter in my arms just yet," he murmured.

Luxa kissed him on the cheek. Her lips lingered there a bit to whisper in his ear, "I love you, my strong, handsome king," she said.

"And I love you, my beautiful, graceful queen," Gregor said, kissing her back.

"Your Majesties. Would you like to hold them?" Doctor Aural had put the girl in a pink blanket and now held the two babies in his arms.

Luxa held out her arms. "Give them to me," she said. The doctor gently placed the babies in her arms. She guided their lips to her bosom, and before long, they were enjoying the sweet, glorious taste of their mother's milk.

"Shall I get the others?" Gregor asked.

"Have them come in two at a time. We don't want to scare the babies," Luxa said, not looking up. Gregor opened the door, and the ones who were sitting down promptly jumped up.

"Gregor. What happened in there?" Angelina asked.

"Is it a boy or girl?" Sophia asked.

"Both," Gregor said.

His friends' faces lit up with realization and eventual joy. "You mean…" Lizzie whispered.

"It's twins! But don't scream, they're feeding." Gregor said, barely able to hide his excitement. The girls did a little whisper-scream while the guys clapped Gregor on the back. The bats would have fluttered around in excitement, but the hallway was a bit crowded as it was, so they all did a little hop.

Two by two, Gregor's friends entered the room. All of them gushed at the babies and offered Gregor and Luxa a second round of congratulations. The more mature ones also noted the hardships of parenthood that they knew of, but seeing as how they were only seventeen, kept these thoughts to themselves.

After nearly an hour of intermittent sights of the babies, Gregor and Luxa were finally alone. The twins had their fill long ago, and were now looking around at their parents, the room, and each other. As normal for Halflanders, their eyes were a shade of green.

"What shall we name them?" Gregor asked.

"I was thinking Alister for the boy and Marianna for the girl," Luxa said. Both of the infants made a small cooing sound, and they both seemed to smile. "See? They like it."

"Alister and Marianna, the Royal Twins…it has a nice ring to it," Gregor said.

"Then it's settled. I am your mother, Alister and Marianna. Welcome to the world…" Luxa whispered, rubbing her nose on both their heads.

Gregor bent his head over both of them. "And I am your father…" he murmured.

When Gregor and Luxa came into the eyes of Alister and Marianna, they cooed again and seemed to try to reach up. The king and queen of Regalia felt a deep flush of love for the two small infants. In their minds, they swore to protect them. Though they had lost a lot, they had gained even more. The love in Gregor and Luxa's eyes as they looked down at their children was evident, and with Alister and Marianna, their future was nearly certain to bright.

**I've only written two birth scenes including this one in my entire writing career. I swear, I nearly stopped writing just because of the sheer emotion! It was so beautiful! I almost cried! **

**Please leave a comment below! **


	8. End: Raphael Speaks

**I hate to end this so abruptly…but I am done. My final chapter on this story…who knew it would come so soon? Who knew that even I would succumb to the thing that has caused the fall of so many others? **

**A single character speaks here. I hoped to put this off, but again, I am done. I've lost all motivation to continue this set of short stories. **

If you guys are wondering what it's like to be a man like me in Regalia, trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. There's a lot of work and responsibility, and you can't really have fun. Still, it's not all bad. I serve a pair of inspiring rulers, a king and a queen whom I feel like I will never repay my debt to. There are my siblings, whom look up to me. And then there is my love, a woman who has become more beautiful than even the women of my most desirable dreams, and who has given me a gift that I can only hope to pay with my love. These are my reasons to live.

The kingbrought me to where I am today. He offered me friendship, filling the void that I had in my heart. And I accepted it. We worked together in everything, and just as he shared his secrets with me, I did the same and shared mine. He is stronger than I could ever be, both in battle and in personality. I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel a little jealous. He says that there is no need to feel this much loyalty to him, but I can't stop. He is like my brother, and brothers feel loyalty.

My queen, graceful and radiant, is the perfect match for my king. Star-crossed lovers don't even begin to describe their relationship. The perfect couple. Each other's prefect match. I knew from the moment I saw her that she and my king were meant to be. Together, they are as strong as an army, but they aspire for peace.

My brother and my sister. Love seems to follow my friends like a plague. I have to admit, even though I acted indifferently when I first found out about their relationship, I was still surprised. What the hell was I supposed to say? If my sister's boyfriend hurt her, I would have to beat up my brother, and vice versa. It was weird. But then I saw them together. They were happy, and I was happy for them. I was jealous, too. They were so close to each other. Why didn't I have anyone like that?

I kept dreaming, even after New York went to hell. I didn't know what would happen, but I kept dreaming. Why were we spared? Why were we the lucky ones to survive? Or rather, why was I the one to survive? I guess I could attribute it to luck, but then my parents died, and I was forced to look after my friends with no one but Gregor to really help. I didn't feel lucky at all.

But then I went to Regalia. They called the world that I came from the Overland. Before long, I started to see things their way, too. Both Larry and Angelina wondered why. I told them that the reason was beauty. They didn't see it at first, but I did. Regalia was beautiful. Gregor and I saw it as clear as day. And it was strong, too. To think that it had been in a place that had been in wars constantly throughout history, and still look this beautiful…I might not have loved it the first time I saw it, but I could see why Gregor did.

I fought for him at first. For every enemy that I took down, I felt like I was repaying the debt that I owed him for trusting me, and for being a friend and brother to me when I had lost my siblings abroad. I love to fight, but it serves no purpose if I do it for just that reason. Still, there are those who saw me as a monster because of the first part of this opinion on fighting. Once they heard that I loved to fight, they ostracized me, without paying a bit of attention to the second part. That's why I held a deep annoyance, even hatred, towards those shallow humans.

My king, my queen, my brother, and my sister are among the few humans who truly understand me. Gregor, Luxa, Lucian, and Sophia. I would go to great lengths to them, short of suicide missions. I save those for someone else.

You may have noticed that I refrained from speaking of that one person. I was saving the best for last. To me, she's like the only angelic fairy that would deign to help the demonic beast. I'm talking about my wife.

When I met her, I was probably one of the only people that would even consider her pretty, let alone beautiful. She saw herself as insane, but I saw myself the same. I guess it took one to know one. I wanted to save her, to help her, to keep her from becoming what I thought I had become; truly alone. I thought that I would be able to move on from her after doing so.

I thought wrong. We stayed together, even after she got stronger. The strange thing was, I didn't try to push her away like I did everyone else. I wanted her around, and I didn't want to let go of her. My purpose for fighting became her. If someone even said a bad joke about her, I would glare at that person until they were reduced to a blubbering fool.

Then hell came to paradise. We had our first fight, and we weren't even courting yet. We both said it was a disagreement, even a dispute, to make things look not as bad as they really were. However, our circle of friends was not fooled. They knew how we felt. She began to return to the way she was when I met her, and I, the tough, morale-raising me, was but a shell of what I was with her. I loved her, and I had hurt her, probably the worst she had been hurt in her entire life. And why? It was all because of my stupid pride!

Still, I promised that I would protect her, and that was what I did. Remember when I said that I would do suicide missions for her? Well, I actually did. I took what for her, would have been a lethal blow. On me, it hit a spot that would have ended in my death if the wound were not treated.

I remember the minutes after that like they were yesterday. She told me how she really felt as I, her guardian, lay on the ground. She forgave me, and then I told her those three magical words.

_I love you. _

Those words could change anyone's life if meant correctly. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she broke down, told me that she felt the same way, and begged me not to die. I told her not to worry, and then everything went black.

When I woke up, I recalled the dream I had. It was only a few days. Despite only having known each other for a few months at most, we consummated our relationship.

Now, she and I have a beautiful baby boy together, named Aidan. My love for her is shown through him. I suspect that he and Gregor's son, Alister, are getting along very well, and are going to be best friends for a while now.

My lady is my life. I would die without her. She is beautiful now, and I still have to keep the guys off her back. The difference between her now and her then, though, is that she also finds the most hilarious way to publicly reject and humiliate her admirers, always making me laugh. She is my main reason to live.

She is Nerissa, my beautiful, angelic Prophet.

And I am Raphael, her handsome, strong Guardian.

**I have disappointed you all. I'm sorry, I truly am. But don't think that I'm leaving the site. I will still write, just not stories for this archive. You may read my other stories if you wish. **


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